


The Cold Brings the Warmth

by Metal_Gear_XANA



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Bittersweet, Drabble, Former Friends, Gen, One-Shot, Post-Timeskip, pre-release
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-29 06:16:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19824247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metal_Gear_XANA/pseuds/Metal_Gear_XANA
Summary: Pre-release, 'Fire Emblem: Three Houses', Post-Timeskip. During a blizzard in Faerghus Dimitri is split from his army and wandering around to find shelter. He stumbles upon cave... along with Edelgard and Claude. None of the lords have any strength to fight one another, and in Claude's case the leader seems to be suffering hypothermia. All three are destined to fight... yet why, even weak, can't any one of them take advantage of eliminating the others, especially Claude? Drabble; Dimitri, Edelgard and Claude-centric.





	The Cold Brings the Warmth

The Cold Brings the Warmth

**A/N: This drabble was submitted some time ago on my tumblr, cynical-gamer-media, and after much deliberation I have decided to submit this on Ao3. Enjoy!**

* * *

A blizzard as biting as feral beasts screamed across the frozen tundra that is Faerghus.

Dimitri growled cantankerously as he trudged through the deep snowy field. Frost decorated his cloak and tickled his nose, tempting him to sneeze. Because of this blizzard he had split up with the rest of the Blue Lions. Such a cumbersome situation he has found himself in! Although if his memory served correct there should be a cave nearby. He would rest there until the blizzard would die out and then regroup with his army.

Somehow through the thick blizzard his icy eye spotted a dark abyss contrasting against the white. His blond brows lit up with joy. That was no doubt the cave! With all the remaining strength he had he trudged through the snow and used his spear to support himself as he neared the cave. Once he reached the entry his jubilant relief quickly shifted to caution.

Before him were his two sworn enemies: Edelgard and Claude. Edelgard glared at him with the determination of a fighter. Yet judging by how she was weakly leaning against her weapon, her teeth clattering and how blue her lips looked she was in no state to fight. Unfortunately the same could be said for Dimitri. His fingers, though gloved, were so stiff that he thought he would drop his spear to the floor. Regarding the floor there a few metres away from the emperor laid Claude.

Dimitri’s icy eye rose in flabbergast for a split of a second. Claude was shivering so violently that he put him and Edelgard’s cold to shame. He seemed to be mumbling incoherently to himself as he tossed and turned his head from side to side. His cape was sprawled upon his person to warm him. There were deep cuts to his leg that was bandaged up (by Claude himself or Edelgard? Dimitri could not tell); he must have been attacked by a wolf and came crawling here.

This would be the perfect time to kill the two.

Yet as he observed Claude’s terrible state Dimitri lost the will to murder him. Dimitri knew he could not be too chivalrous… but the idea of killing someone so weak and ill left a terrible feeling in his stomach. Claude was a good man trying to resolve this three-way war, and Dimitri and Edelgard’s conflict. He should be spared for now. As for Edelgard…

“I thought you would have killed him in his sorry state,” Dimitri commented as he eyed Edelgard suspiciously.

The emperor sighed deeply and turned to observe the sick man. Her previously stern expression softened. “Perhaps I am a fool after all…”

Dimitri frowned as he observed Claude. Judging by the laboured breathing, the murmuring and shivering the leader of the alliance would not survive without assistance. The former prince bit his lips. This was no way for a man to die. There would be another time, and that time would _only_ be in battle by the hands of himself or Edelgard.

“Help me support him to a sitting position,” Dimitri ordered to Edelgard as he walked on over to Claude.

She eyed him questionably, but without delay she moved over to where Claude laid. Claude mumbled something like ‘you two are great’ as Dimitri and Edelgard approached. There the two lords lowered their weapons and gently brought Claude to a sitting position. Dimitri glanced at the emperor to inform her that he did not require further assistance. She stood up and observed the former prince with interest. Without a word Dimitri took off his cloak around his armour and draped it over Claude and himself. He pressed his side as close as he could to Claude’s person to warm the man.

“…So warm… am I at a fire place, Dimitri…?” Claude mumbled gratefully. He looked like he was sleep talking.

Dimitri knew from past experiences how to best warm a person. Even if he lacked the materials to make a fire he and everyone from Faerghus were taught how to survive the cool. Whilst Claude and Edelgard wore a winter variation of their usual clothing Dimitri knew it was not enough to warm the leader.

His attention turned to Edelgard. The woman began to take her horned headpiece off. As a result her hair fell almost to her feet. Without a word she took off her magnificent cape and walked around to Claude’s other side. Claude mumbled that she still smells of lavender just like when they were kids as she sat beside him. She draped her cape over Claude… and onto Dimitri too. Pressed against Claude she shifted her hair so that her strands shielded his exposed neck, ear and cheek. Dimitri eyed her with utter flabbergast. Edelgard glanced at him as if to assure him that she wished to help. Dimitri grumbled something and adjusted his cloak so that Edelgard also received its warmth. He could have sworn that he saw a ghost-of-a smile flicker on her face for a moment.

“I love you guys so much…” Claude mumbled cheerfully, a clattering grin beaming from his face.

Dimitri could not help but snort in amusement. The former prince leaned his head atop Claude’s head, and he noticed that Edelgard leaned hers against Claude’s shoulder. All three scooted closer to one another as best as they could. Once the blizzard would end they would reunite with their armies and resume being enemies again.

But for now… they will just be by each others’ sides.


End file.
